Telecommunications tray with a cable routing path extending through a pivot hinge

Abstract

A multi-positionable tray assembly ( 20 ) for mounting within a chassis ( 10 ) of a telecommunications panel ( 100 ) is disclosed. The multi-positionable tray assembly ( 20 ) may include support arm ( 24 ) that pivotally supports a tray ( 22 ) and that allows the tray assembly ( 20 ) to be installed and removed from the chassis ( 10 ). The tray ( 22 ) and the support arm ( 24 ) cooperatively define a cable routing pathway ( 208 ) that extends through a pivot axis (A 1 ) defined by the tray and the support arm. To minimize the required depth of the tray ( 10 ) and optimize cable routing, the tray ( 20 ) can include a cable management structure ( 102 ) with a patch panel ( 104 ) having a plurality of adapters ( 108 ) arranged along a transverse axis (A 2 ), wherein the transverse axis is non-parallel or oblique to a front plane (A 4 ) of the tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-positionable tray assembly for mounting within a chassis of a telecommunications panel, the multi-positionable tray assembly comprising:
 a. a tray configured to support at least one cable management structure, the tray including an upper joint extension and a lower joint extension through which the pivot axis extends; and 
 b. a support arm connected to and supporting the tray at a pivot joint such that the tray is rotatable about the pivot joint at a pivot axis between a folded position and an access position, the support arm including an upper joint arm and a lower joint arm through which the pivot axis extends, wherein the upper joint arm rotatably engages with the upper joint extension with a snap-fit connection and the lower joint arm rotatably engages with the lower joint extension with a snap-fit connection; 
 c. wherein, the tray and the support arm cooperatively define a cable routing pathway that extends through the pivot axis of the pivot joint defined by the tray and the support arm and extends between the upper joint arm and the lower joint arm and between the upper joint extension and lower joint extension. 
 
     
     
       2. The multi-positionable tray assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the tray defines a rear side and a front side extending between opposite first and second sides; 
 b. the support arm defines a first end and a second end, the upper and lower joint arms being located at the first end; and 
 c. the cable routing pathway extends from the support arm second end to the pivot joint and from the pivot joint to the tray rear side along the tray first side. 
 
     
     
       3. The multi-positionable tray assembly of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a. the cable routing pathway further extends from the tray first side towards the tray second side along the tray rear side. 
 
     
     
       4. The multi-positionable tray assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of cable guides extending from a top wall of the support arm to a bottom wall of the support arm. 
 
     
     
       5. The multi-positionable tray assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of cable guides extending from at least one of the first side of the tray and the interior wall of the tray. 
 
     
     
       6. A telecommunications panel comprising:
 a. a chassis having a rear side extending between first and second sides to define an open front side; and 
 b. a plurality of multi-positionable tray assemblies, each of the tray assemblies including:
 (i) a tray configured to support at least one cable management structure, the tray including an upper joint extension and a lower joint extension through which the pivot axis extends; and 
 (ii) a support arm connected to and supporting the tray at a pivot joint such that the tray is rotatable about the pivot joint at a pivot axis between a folded position and an access position, the support arm including an upper joint arm and a lower joint arm through which the pivot axis extends, wherein the upper joint arm rotatably engages with the upper joint extension with a snap-fit connection and the lower joint arm rotatably engages with the lower joint extension with a snap-fit connection; 
 (iii) wherein, the tray and the support arm cooperatively define a cable routing pathway that extends through the pivot axis of the pivot joint defined by the tray and the support arm and extends between the upper joint arm and the lower joint arm and between the upper joint extension and lower joint extension, 
 (iv) wherein the cable routing pathway extends from a rear end to a front end of the support arm, through the pivot axis, and from a front side of the tray to a rear side of the tray along an outermost portion of a first side of the tray most proximate the support arm. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The telecommunications panel of  claim 6 , wherein:
 a. the cable routing pathway further extends from the tray first side towards the tray second side along the tray rear side. 
 
     
     
       8. The telecommunications panel of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of cable guides extending from a top wall of the support arm to a bottom wall of the support arm. 
 
     
     
       9. The telecommunications panel of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a. a plurality of cable guides extending from at least one of the first side of the tray and the interior wall of the tray. 
 
     
     
       10. The telecommunications panel of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of multi-positionable tray assemblies includes three multi-positionable tray assemblies. 
     
     
       11. The telecommunications panel of  claim 6 , wherein the cable management structure includes at least one splice tray and a patch panel.